Use of antisense oligonucleotides or siRNA to suppress expression of eIF-5A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to apoptosis specific eucaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF-5A), referred to as apoptosis factor 5A1 or simply factor 5A1, apoptosis factor 5A1 nucleic acids and polypeptides and methods for inhibiting or suppressing apoptosis in cells using antisense nucleotides or siRNAs to inhibit expression of factor 5A1. The invention also relates to suppressing or inhibiting expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting expression of apoptosis factor 5A.

1. A method of suppressing expression of apoptosis-specific eIF-5A1 in lamina cribrosa cells, the method comprising administering to lamina cribrosa cells in vitro or directly to the cells in vivo an siRNA targeted against human apoptosis-specific eIF-5A, wherein the human apoptosis-specific eIF-5A is set forth in SEQ ID NO:41, and wherein said siRNA suppresses expression of apoptosis-specific eIF-5A1 in said cells. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the lamina cribrosa cells are human. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the siRNA targets SEQ ID NO:30. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the siRNA targets SEQ ID NO:31. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the siRNA targets SEQ ID NO:32. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the siRNA targets SEQ ID NO:33. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein the suppression of expression of human apoptosis-specific eIF-5A reduces apoptosis in the lamina cribrosa cells. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  wherein the siRNA targets SEQ ID NO:30. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7  wherein the siRNA targets SEQ ID NO:31. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7  wherein the siRNA targets SEQ ID NO:32. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 7  wherein the siRNA targets SEQ ID NO:33.